Indian Railways' Holi plan: Special trains, crowd control in place

Indian Railways has rolled out extensive measures for the Holi festival, including special trains, systematic crowd control, and enhanced vigilance at major stations to ensure safe, comfortable, and hassle-free travel for passengers.

Indian Railways has implemented comprehensive arrangements to facilitate comfortable and hassle-free travel during the Holi festive season, as announced on Tuesday. These measures include running special trains, vigilant monitoring, and systematic crowd management to ensure smooth passenger movement across major stations, particularly in Delhi.

Special trains are being operated across multiple zones to facilitate homebound travel, while systematic queue management, phased boarding and effective crowd regulation measures are being implemented at major stations. Railway personnel, including RPF teams and Rail Karmayogis, maintain continuous on-ground vigilance, supervise passenger movement, assist elderly, divyang and women passengers, and provide essential guidance throughout the journey. Civil Defence volunteers are also being deployed at busy stations to strengthen crowd control and passenger support.

North Western Railway's Extensive Arrangements

To effectively manage the heavy passenger rush during the Holi festival, North Western Railway made comprehensive and well-coordinated arrangements. All departments worked in close coordination to facilitate safe, convenient and hassle-free travel for passengers journeying to their hometowns across the zone.

A total of 295 trips of newly introduced special trains were notified for destinations including Gorakhpur, Samastipur, Yog Nagari Rishikesh, Amritsar, Mysuru, Kakinada, Gomti Nagar, Bhavnagar Terminus, Howrah, Tirupati, Mau, Sabarmati, Danapur, Asansol, Chennai Egmore, Vadodara and Kolkata.

In the week preceding Holi, 54 trips of special trains were operated towards major destinations such as Gorakhpur, Mysuru, Kakinada, Bhavnagar Terminus, Howrah, Tirupati, Danapur, Kolkata, Sabarmati and Asarva. During this period, more than 5.5 million passengers travelled from stations under the jurisdiction of North Western Railway. Notably, around 1.1 million passengers travelled on 1st and 2nd March alone, during which 21 trips of new special trains were operated.

In addition, the operational period of 30 special trains comprising 216 trips was extended. To further accommodate increased demand in March, 141 additional coaches of various categories were augmented in 53 regular trains.

At major stations, structured crowd management measures were implemented to regulate passenger movement. Holding areas and barricades were set up to streamline entry, while adequate Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and ticket checking staff were deployed to maintain security and order. Help desks provided guidance to passengers, and continuous announcements along with electronic display boards ensured the timely dissemination of train information. Awareness campaigns promoted ticket purchases through ATVMs and the RailOne App. On-duty staff remained alert for immediate response wherever required.

Punctual operation of special trains was ensured through continuous monitoring, with regular supervision by senior officers at headquarters and divisional levels. Additionally, 24x7 war rooms functioned through coordinated inter-departmental efforts to maintain effective control and oversight during the festive rush.

Central Railway's Vigilance and Crowd Control

On the occasion of Holi, Central Railway ensured systematic queue arrangements and effective crowd management for Train No. 12173 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Udyog Nagri Express at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, keeping in view the additional festive rush. As a result, passengers commenced their journey in a safe, smooth and comfortable manner.

Demonstrating vigilance in action, RPF teams closely monitored on-ground arrangements during the Holi travel rush, ensuring adherence to safety standards, regulating passenger movement, and maintaining a secure, stress-free environment. They also supervised queue management to facilitate orderly boarding and seamless movement, reaffirming Central Railway's commitment to safety, discipline, and a hassle-free travel experience for every passenger.

Effective crowd regulation measures are being implemented throughout the Holi season at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, ensuring that the festive rush remains well controlled and passenger flow remains smooth and well organised. Passengers travelling during the festival of colours appreciated the clean coaches and passenger amenities being provided at stations by Central Railway, highlighting the comfortable travel experience during Holi.

Vigilance Across North Central Railway

At North Central Railway, railway personnel remained continuously vigilant at Mathura Junction railway station during the Holi festival, carrying out regular inspections and close monitoring to ensure a safe and pleasant journey for passengers.

A passenger who travelled by a special train from Delhi to Prayagraj during Holi shared that all essential facilities were smoothly available throughout the journey and that no inconvenience was experienced. At Kanpur Central railway station, Railway Police remained actively engaged in facilitating smooth passenger movement and providing proper guidance, reflecting continued commitment towards service, vigilance and dedicated support during the festive rush.

In view of the increased festive rush, special vigilance and coordinated efforts by railway staff at Prayagraj Junction railway station ensured orderly and safe boarding of passengers on the 20403 Lalgarh Express, maintaining a secure and smooth travel environment during Holi.

Northern Railway's Passenger Facilitation Measures

During the Holi festival, Northern Railway has made travel home easier through the operation of special trains and systematic passenger facilitation measures.

At New Delhi railway station, passengers travelling by Train No. 04420 New Delhi-Darbhanga Holi Special experienced smooth and convenient arrangements, reflecting the effectiveness of the special services introduced for the festive season. Passengers travelling home by the Sampoorna Kranti Express expressed their appreciation by warmly acknowledging the dedicated service of Rail Karmayogis, highlighting that their continuous efforts strengthened passenger confidence and ensured a seamless journey.

At Anand Vihar Terminal railway station, well-organised passenger movement was witnessed during the festive rush. Holding areas equipped with essential amenities were established, and passengers were being sent to platforms in a phased and safe manner to avoid congestion.

Railway personnel remained committed to ensuring a pleasant, safe and convenient travel experience at Ghaziabad Junction railway station, maintaining vigilance and active supervision throughout the Holi period. Rail Karmayogis at New Delhi railway station have been actively assisting divyang, elderly and women passengers, demonstrating service and dedication in ensuring inclusive and supportive travel arrangements.

In view of the increased passenger footfall, approximately 55-60 Civil Defence volunteers have been deployed from 26 February 2026 to 04 March 2026 at Delhi Junction, New Delhi and Anand Vihar Terminal stations to assist in station premises and on platforms, strengthening crowd regulation and passenger support mechanisms.

Efforts by North Eastern and South East Central Railways

On the occasion of Holi, Rail Karmayogis of North Eastern Railway remained committed to ensuring a pleasant, safe and convenient journey for passengers travelling to their homes. Dedicated arrangements and active supervision were maintained at Gorakhpur Junction railway station to facilitate smooth passenger movement during the festive rush.

With the operation of special trains, travel home during Holi has become easier and more comfortable. A student of B.R.D. Medical College, Gorakhpur travelling by a Holi Special train expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made by the railway administration and appreciated the smooth travel experience.

During the operation of Holi Special trains, personnel of South East Central Railway have been making continuous announcements to provide essential information to passengers. They are also actively assisting travellers in maintaining orderly queues while boarding and deboarding during the festive rush, ensuring that journeys remain smooth, systematic and secure.

Coordinated Efforts for Safe Festive Travel

Through coordinated efforts, special train services, enhanced vigilance and passenger-centric facilitation measures, Indian Railways has ensured that Holi travel remains safe, orderly and comfortable across major stations and routes.

Railways reiterates its commitment to maintaining high standards of safety, service and operational excellence during peak festive travel periods. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)